A total of 205 Indian nationals, who had illegally entered the United States, have been deported on a US military aircraft that took off from Texas about six hours ago, sources told media.
Each deported individual was verified, indicating New Delhi’s involvement in the deportation process. This is expected to be the first of many such flights bringing back illegal Indian immigrants from the US.
A C-17 US military aircraft is transporting the deported individuals back to India. Interestingly, unless fitted with an air-transportable galley, the C-17 typically has only one toilet for all 205 passengers onboard.
The deportation aligns with US President Donald Trump’s strict stance on illegal immigration. Previously, US military aircraft were used to deport illegal immigrants to Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras.
This first round of deportation comes just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit the US next week, his first visit since Trump assumed office for the second time.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has previously stated that India is open to the "legitimate return" of its nationals living illegally abroad, including in the US.
"For the first time in history, we are locating and loading illegal aliens onto military aircraft and flying them back to the places from which they came," President Trump told reporters last month.
The US President also claimed that Prime Minister Modi assured him that India would "do what’s right" in taking back illegal Indian immigrants.
According to a Bloomberg News report, the US and India have identified around 18,000 Indian migrants who entered the US illegally.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has reiterated that the country is against illegal immigration, citing its links to organized crime.
"For Indians not just in the United States but anywhere in the world, if they are Indian nationals overstaying or residing without proper documentation, we will take them back—provided documents are shared with us for verification," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated at a press briefing.
A spokesperson for the US Embassy in New Delhi confirmed that the US is tightening its immigration laws and ramping up deportations.
"These actions send a clear message: illegal migration is not worth the risk," the spokesperson said.
